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Posts tagged ‘Faith comes by hearing’

“And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among the scouts who had searched the land, rent their clothes, and they said to all the company of Israelites, The land through which we passed as scouts is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, neither fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their defense and the shadow [of protection] is removed from over them, but the Lord is with us. Fear them not.” – Numbers 14:6-9 (AMPC)

Moses sent twelve spies into the Promised Land, and all of them except Joshua and Caleb came back with bad reports, influenced by the fear and intimidation of the circumstances surrounding them. Numbers 13:28 and 13:33 reveals that the ten spies saw their opposition as strong and courageous. And themselves as weak grasshoppers. Their beliefs were summed up in these words, “we are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are stronger than we are” (AMPC). In the natural, this may have looked to be so, yet Scripture states that those spies brought back an “evil report” (13:32) – one influenced and shaken up by the enemy, rather than springing from faith in the truth of God’s word and promises. Romans 12:23 informs us that “Whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin” (AMPC). In other words, your perspective in any given circumstance will be dominated by faith or fear; from God’s perspective of truth or the enemy’s perspective of deception.

Perhaps today you are facing a situation that seems large, looming, and insurmountable. It may be a financial crisis and a mound of debt, a relationship issue, a health complication, or any other negative circumstance. Do not allow yourself to be intimidated by an “evil report”. Rather, rest in the revelations and promises of Scripture and allow faith to make itself manifest throughout your emotions, mind, and heart (Romans 10:17). Now, before I continue I want to address something about faith…

You may be worried that perhaps you do not possess the faith to remain strong and courageous in the midst of huge, demanding challenges, and your experiences may seem to back up these worries – perhaps at the first sign of opposition, you turn and run, or get filled with crippling anxieties and doubts; perhaps, at the first sign of opposition, you find yourself submitting to all kinds of stress and rebellious behaviour. Although this may have been your past experience, be encouraged that Scripture declares that God has given to each believer “the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). As a believer in Christ, when you were raised and ascended with Jesus, the same power – including that same faith – that rose Jesus from the dead, lives within your Spirit in fullness (Ephesians 1:19; see also 1 Corinthians 6:17). This means that your Spirit contains the faith of Christ, and is able to live victoriously through him (Galatians 2:20), and perceive each circumstance from His position of unshakable might and authority. You can renew your mind according to God’s word, so that the faith within you transforms your outward emotions and actions (Romans 12:2). Believer, you are destined to be successful and faith-filled, and to walk in the Spirit-filled boldness of Joshua and Caleb. This is your identity in Christ!

Romans 3:27 expresses that there is such thing as “the law of faith” (KJV). In other words, there are keys which govern faith, so that without fail you are able to experience faith manifesting from your Spirit, into your mind, heart, emotions, and your circumstances. There are ways that you can manifest confidence and authority that you are “the head and not the tail” of all circumstances, “above only, and not beneath” in all situations and in the fact of all contradictions (Deuteronomy 28:13; AMPC).

As you learn the promises of God towards you in Scripture, i.e. the blessings and benefits you have been gifted with in Christ, the law of faith will go to work on your behalf. There are two key Scriptures that speak of how the law of faith functions:

“For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.” – Galatians 5:6 (AMPC).

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17 (KJV).

Scripture declares that as you (continually) hear of the promises and blessings of God in Scripture, which are all given to you freely in Christ (the original Greek translates ‘word of God’ as ‘word of Christ’ in Romans 10:17), then you will gain an awareness of how much God loves you and how dear you are to Him. The law of faith, through the word of God and the love of God, will go to work for you, on your behalf, causing faith to manifest itself in all facets of your life, strengthening you in faith above and beyond all circumstances and contradictions, and transforming the way you think. You will discover yourself no longer shaken up and wavering due to circumstances, but energised with the hope (confident assurance) that faith brings. Hebrews 6:19 (AMPC) writes:

‘[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil,’

The word will anchor your soul upon the truths of God, so that you can walk in your God-given victory, authority, and peace above all contradictions. Then, as your faith is re-directed from circumstance and the natural realm where the enemy can shake you up with ‘evil reports’, to Jesus and your inheritance in him, you will be renewed in the attitude of your mind (Ephesians 4:23). Faith will always manifest with assurance in your soul, as you anchor your life upon God’s word and stand upon the promises of scripture.

Ephesians 1:18-19 describes this renewal as such: ‘….having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), and [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,’ (AMPC). Like Caleb and Joshua, you can renew your mind according to the promises in God’s word, and gain an enlightened perspective of your authority and inheritance in Christ in your circumstances, completely transforming your perspective, and releasing manifest boldness and power. When this is so, like Caleb, in the face of contradiction you will naturally declare “we are well able to conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30; AMPC). You see, Caleb and Joshua knew that every opposition is “bread” – a chance to feast upon the promises of Scripture and see the abundant harvest of faith, sure that God’s promises will manifest.

Psalm 23:5 (NIV) declares, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…my cup overflows”. Likewise, Jesus stated in John 4:11 (AMP) that the great trial of Lazarus’ death, something standing in great opposition to God’s will and intent for mankind (see John 10:10), was an occasion to ‘honor God and to promote His glory, that the Son of God may be glorified through (by) it.’ (John 11:4, AMPC) You see, Joshua and Caleb were able to perceive that every trial was an opportunity for a fresh revelation and manifestation of God’s favor and grace.

Believer, God has already supplied you with the faith to overcome the challenges you face with boldness and authority. The nature of God is supply!